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Quick answer: No official source publishes a separate salary for holders of an electrical supervisor licence. The closest official figure is the ABS median hourly pay for technicians and trades workers: $39.00 in August 2025. In NSW, the supervisor licence is the qualified supervisor certificate. It costs $172 for 1 year and lets you supervise licensed tradespeople, but not contract for work.
Figures that relate to the question
| Figure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Median hourly earnings, technicians and trades workers, August 2025 | $39.00 | ABS |
| Median weekly earnings, all employees, August 2025 | $1,425 | ABS |
| NSW trade qualified supervisor certificate fee | $172 (1 year), $291 (3 years), $501 (5 years) | NSW Government fees |
| What the NSW supervisor certificate allows | Do and supervise the work; does not allow contracting | NSW Government |
| NSW experience rule | 12 months of wiring work using AS/NZS 3000:2018 | NSW Government |
How to move toward a supervisor role
- Get your electrician licence first through the Certificate III and your state step.
- Build paid wiring experience; NSW counts experience paid under an award or enterprise agreement.
- In NSW, apply for a qualified supervisor certificate once you meet the pathway requirements.
- Ask employers what they pay supervisors in your area; negotiate from the ABS trades median as a floor, not a ceiling.
Practice for the electrician licence exam
This page covers the route into the trade. Licensing is run by each state, so for the exam itself our main page is the Australia electrician exam guide: the assessment format, the licensing authority, the wiring rules and the official links in one place.
Try the free Australia electrician practice test in your browser. The questions are original and follow Energy Safe Victoria’s Licensed Electrician’s Assessment and AS/NZS 3000; other states assess differently, so check your state regulator as well. The one-time Australia exam pack unlocks every Australia question and a printable PDF version, with no subscription.
FAQ
Does a supervisor licence raise my pay?
It lets you supervise, which some employers pay more for. No official data isolates that premium, so treat any single number online with care.
Is a supervisor certificate the same as a contractor licence?
No. NSW says the qualified supervisor certificate does not let you contract or advertise for work; that needs a contractor licence.
Where can I find electrician pay data?
The ABS publishes earnings by occupation group. Jobs and Skills Australia also runs occupation profiles, which were not reachable when this page was checked.
Sources
- Australian Bureau of Statistics: Employee earnings, August 2025
- NSW Government: Fees for licences and certificates, July 2026 to June 2027
- NSW Government: Electrical work licences
Page updated: 2026-09-30. Figures were read from the linked official pages on 2026-09-30. Rules differ by state, so check your own state regulator before you enrol or apply.
About the author: Tsai, creator of Tsai Electro, moved from an office job into electrical and MEP field work in Taiwan and holds Taiwanese indoor wiring and water piping technician certificates. Tsai has not held an Australian electrical licence, so every Australian rule on this page links to the state regulator or agency that publishes it.
